A Novel Peer-Delivered Recovery-Focused Suicide Prevention Intervention for Veterans With Serious Mental Illness
1 other identifier
interventional
69
1 country
1
Brief Summary
Suicide is a major public health concern, particularly among Veterans with serious mental illness (SMI, i.e., psychotic disorders or bipolar disorders). Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) is a well-established evidence-based practice for those with SMI that centers on identifying warning signs of mental illness, developing wellness tools for functional independence, planning for day-to-day effective living within one's community, and building an action plan to create a valued life worth living. This proposed study will refine and pilot SUicide Prevention by Peers Offering Recovery Tactics (SUPPORT), a novel integrated recovery program that is an adaptation of peer-delivered WRAP for Veterans with SMI. In SUPPORT, a Peer Specialist leads a Veteran at increased risk for suicide through recovery planning that is tailored to the Veteran's suicidal experiences with cognitive learning strategies to enhance safety plan recall and improve functioning.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable
Started Sep 2023
Longer than P75 for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
September 7, 2022
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
September 13, 2022
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
September 12, 2023
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
December 15, 2026
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
October 31, 2027
August 7, 2025
August 1, 2025
3.3 years
September 7, 2022
August 5, 2025
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Feasibility of recruitment and retention
Recruitment and retention is determined by the number of participants who were initially contacted, consented, completed baseline data, and completed follow-up data.
Through study completion, an average of 4 years
Acceptability of SUPPORT as measured by the Client Satisfaction Questionniare-8 (CSQ-8)
The CSQ-8 brief survey has been used extensively in VA and non-VA settings to assess overall satisfaction with care, and it has excellent internal consistency (0.93). An overall score" is calculated by summing the participant's rating score for each scale item. Scores range from 8 to 32, with higher values indicating higher satisfaction.
At the end of the intervention, an average of 4-weeks
Secondary Outcomes (2)
Change in the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI)
Baseline, 2-weeks, 4-weeks, 3-month follow-up
Change in Recovery Assessment Scale-41
Baseline, 2-weeks, 4-weeks, 3-month follow-up
Study Arms (2)
SUPPORT
EXPERIMENTALVeterans receiving SUPPORT will be offered all modules of the intervention via weekly, 50-minute sessions with a Peer Specialist. Following the completion of a mental health evaluation by a licensed professional, the Peer Specialist leads the Veteran who is at risk for suicide through recovery planning that is tailored to the Veteran's suicidal experiences with cognitive learning strategies to enhance recall of the Veteran's safety plan and improve recovery.
ESC
NO INTERVENTIONThe enhanced standard care (ESC) condition contains the elements of standard practice suicide prevention delivered at VHA, which include: 1) suicide risk assessment, 2) VA Safety Planning Intervention, 3) timely referral to VA mental health outpatient care, and 4) Suicide Prevention Coordinator follow-up contacts. It is enhanced due to the contact with the research study.
Interventions
Following the completion of a comprehensive mental health evaluation by a licensed VA provider, which includes a suicide safety plan, if a Veteran is having active thoughts of suicide or made a suicide attempt in past three months, they may be eligible for SUPPORT. In SUPPORT, the Peer Specialist and Veteran co-create a personalized suicide-focused recovery plan (SUPPORT Plan) in flexible, 50-minute weekly encounters. The SUPPORT Plan includes modules that focus on valuing recovery, building a hope kit and daily plan, setting recovery goals, and looking ahead to enhance the Veteran's safety plan. Learning strategies are incorporated into each module to promote salience and recall of intervention material. The Peer Specialist works closely with the Veteran's treatment team and uses the most recent safety plan in the Veteran's chart to help complete the SUPPORT Plan as well as reinforce the usage of the Veteran's safety plan.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Veterans who report present suicidal ideation (i.e., Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) \> 2 ("Active thoughts of killing oneself") in past 1 month and/or a suicide attempt in the prior 3 months as identified by the C-SSRS
- Current SMI diagnosis (i.e., schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood disorders with psychotic features, bipolar disorders)
- Capable of informed consent via the University of California San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent (UBACC)
- Certified Peer Specialist employed at VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) in the Mental Health Care Line (individuals must demonstrate competency in basic suicide screening and referral procedures to be certified)
- years of experience post certification as a Certified Peer Specialist
- Interest in being trained in SUPPORT
- Provide verbal or written consent for the research staff to discuss ability to participate in the study with the Peer Specialist's direct clinical supervisor
- Direct clinical supervisor agreement to allow the Peer Specialist to participate. This includes the Peer Specialist's direct clinical supervisor agreement to allow the Peer Specialist time as part of their current scope of practice to 1) participate in the full day (8-hour) SUPPORT training, 2) participate in weekly 1-hour group supervision for the duration of the Peer Specialist's time in the study, and 3) take on a case load of at least one SUPPORT Veteran at a given time.
You may not qualify if:
- Cannot complete the assessment battery
- Current intoxication requiring immediate detoxification or outpatient plan directed specifically to residential substance use disorder (not mental health) services
- Imminent psychiatric hospitalization
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA
San Diego, California, 92161-0002, United States
Related Publications (2)
Chalker S, Carter J, Imai Y, Depp C, Chinman M. A Recovery-Oriented Suicide Prevention Program Led by Peer Specialists for Veterans With Serious Mental Illness: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2025 Aug 20;14:e66182. doi: 10.2196/66182.
PMID: 40834400DERIVEDChalker SA, Serafez J, Imai Y, Stinchcomb J, Mendez E, Depp CA, Twamley EW, Fortuna KL, Goodman M, Chinman M. Suicide Prevention by Peers Offering Recovery Tactics (SUPPORT) for US Veterans With Serious Mental Illness: Community Engagement Approach. J Particip Med. 2024 May 23;16:e56204. doi: 10.2196/56204.
PMID: 38781010DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Samantha A Chalker, PhD
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- FED
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
September 7, 2022
First Posted
September 13, 2022
Study Start
September 12, 2023
Primary Completion (Estimated)
December 15, 2026
Study Completion (Estimated)
October 31, 2027
Last Updated
August 7, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-08
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share